Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Cape Cod here we come - hold the Cicadas!

Another school year has honest to goodness to flown by. The kids are done school tomorrow and summer fun is on. I can't believe how big they are all getting. My oldest is starting junior high! There is a lot to be done around here before we head up to the Cape and I am trying to formulate exactly "when" our trip will begin.

Lucky for me, we have a deciding factor. These...................(actual pic taken by my dad)

This humongous bug is a cicada. I know nothing about them except they emerge from underground every 17 years, they are so loud and sound like an alien spaceship is landing, they are harmless but creepier than creepy in appearance and they are in FULL SWING at the Cape. I love science and all but I think I'll stick to seeing these in pictures. Call me when they are dormant again and we'll be up - Ms. C FREAKS at a housefly, can you imagine her reaction to one of these? I feel itchy now xo, Brieyou can see better pics here http://www.flickr.com/photos/18863324@N04/sets/72157605362650449/It's interesting but I'll admire them from far, far, far away

9 comments:

When I was in college those thing "unearthed" on campus and it was so gross. They were everywhere. Last summer they "unearthed" here and again they were everywhere. I'm glad to see they have gone somehere else. I can easily go 17 more years without seeing them again.

If you have pets be careful. My Lucy loved to put them in her mouth. I wasn't about to touch the stupid things to get them out so I would pry her mouth open and basically turn her upside down and shake her. So gross! I don't know what her attraction them was, but boy did she like 'em.

Hopefully for both of us, they will be gone!! I think they are out for about a month and I think they emerged around 5/28 so hopefully we'll be fine. They are like clockwork though with their comings and goings. It's freaky!

I'll be bold and tell you all that when I grew up on the Cape....we treasured finding Cicada shells. But remember that was some 50 years ago, everything was different and simple. We actually had contests at Camp...who could collect the most Cicada shells. So I have fond memories of them. Guess it depends on one's life experiences.... I'm sorry that so many of you hate these bugs. Have they overtaken New England or do you all know something about them that we did not know 50 years ago? Please let me know...

Sandi - I'm thinking you might be thinking of something different but maybe not. These guys come out once every 17 years. Maybe it just happened to be that year you were in camp? I'm just not a bug girl really. Like I said the science and the clockwork nature of them I find fascninating.. but from afar. There are SWARMS of them and they are really really loud. My mom says when they are outside it feels like it is spitting raining but it isn't - it's something coming off the cicadas from the trees. I know I can't handle that ;) They are due to go back underground at the end of June at the Cape. They'll be back here in NJ in 2014. PS I want to see the wedding but the blog is closed, can you invite me?